Motion-sensing evaporator device for volatile substances

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an evaporator device for volatile substances, preferably usable in vehicles, which is activated by the movement of the device, whereby the device will begin to evaporate a volatile substance when the user is in the vehicle. The device comprises a casing, a diffuser, and at least one movement sensor, the diffuser being operable by the sensor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 National Phase conversion ofPCT/EP2007/058816, filed Aug. 24, 2007, which claims benefit of SpanishApplication No. P200702226, filed Aug. 7, 2007, the disclosure of whichis incorporated herein by reference. The PCT International Applicationwas published in the English language.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers in general to evaporator devices forvolatile substances for closed spaces.

In more specific terms, the invention relates to an evaporator devicefor volatile substances, preferably for vehicles, which is activated bymeans of the movement of the actual device, the object being toguarantee that the device only evaporates the volatile substance whenthe vehicle is in use or occupied.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many types of evaporation devices for volatile substances,generally air-fresheners and/or insecticides, which utilise a wick, aspray, a permeable membrane, gel or impregnated paper as the medium forthe evaporation of said substance.

These appliances need means which allow their activation by the user,and in some applications means for the automatic activation ordeactivation, for which reason they employ light sensors to selectdifferent uses of the device during the day and at night, or to activatethe evaporator for example when the user is present.

In certain applications like for example for the diffusion of a volatilesubstance inside a vehicle, the known sensor-equipped devices do notoffer satisfactory benefits, since they do not only detect the presenceof movement or luminous conditions inside the vehicle, but are alsosensitive to movements or light conditions outside the vehicle, forexample a person passing on foot near the vehicle.

Thus the known devices with automatic operation are not appropriate fortheir use in a vehicle in that the mere proximity of a person to thevehicle can initiate the evaporation of the substance, producing anunnecessary waste thereof and an unpleasant aromatic saturation insidethe vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the invention relates to an evaporator device for volatilesubstances which comprises a casing and means for the diffusion of anactive substance supported by said casing. The device is characterizedin that it comprises at least a movement sensor of said casing, wherebysaid diffusion means are operable by means of said sensor, in such a waythat the diffusion means are put into operation or the effect thereof isenhanced, either by means of increasing the speed of a fan, raising thetemperature of a heater, a change in the frequency of pulses, or in theactivation of some secondary means of diffusion.

The movement sensor is integral with the casing and detects the movementof the appliance or of the device, not the movement of an object whichis moving close to the same, whereby it is guaranteed that the diffusionof the volatile substance takes place only when the user is in thevehicle, therefore saving unnecessary consumption of the same andavoiding saturating the interior of the vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To supplement the description that is being made and with the object ofassisting in a better understanding of the characteristics of theinvention, in accordance with a preferred example of practicalembodiment thereof, attached as an integral part of said description, isa set of drawings wherein by way of illustration and not restrictively,the following has been represented:

FIG. 1.—It shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of an evaporatordevice according to the invention, where the upper part of the casinghas not been represented to allow visualization of its interior.

FIG. 2.—It shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3.—It shows another perspective view and in exploded form of thesame device.

FIG. 4.—It shows another view in perspective and In exploded form of thesame device.

FIG. 5.—It shows an electrical schematic of this device.

FIG. 6.—It shows a view in perspective and in exploded form of anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7.—It shows individual views in perspective of the device of FIG. 6in the closed position.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment the diffusion means consists of a fan, and thevolatile substance situated in a cartridge equipped with permeablemembrane. Some programmable electronic means control the activation ofthe diffusion elements, in this case the fan, taking into considerationthe detection of the movement sensor.

Thus, when a user enters his car and puts it in movement, the movementsensor will detect the movement of the vehicle and in turn theelectronic means connected to the sensor, will act on the fan, either tomake it work or to increase its speed.

The electronic means can be programmed to maintain the fan in operationduring a period of time or to allow the operation thereof during presetcycles of time or as selected by the user.

The fan is activated by means of batteries, for that the device also hasindication means that are activated when the battery charge is consumed,like an LED diode for example which lights or flashes in such aneventuality.

When the vehicle moves, the movement sensor detects such circumstanceand the electronic means associated with the sensor are activated inresponse to said detection and produces an electric signal to act on thediffusion means to allow, start or enhance the evaporation of thevolatile substance.

The movement or vibration sensor can consist for example of anaccelerometer.

The electronic means are programmed to maintain the activation state ofthe diffusion means during a certain time, after which if the movementsensor has ceased to detect the movement of the vehicle, it disconnectsthe diffusion elements.

The volatile substance can be held in any known type of container, likea container for example with permeable membrane, or a bottle with a wickpartially immersed therein. The diffusion means can also be of any knowntype, like for example heater elements, fan, spray with solenoid-valve,piezoelectric mist generator, etc. The casing can have means thatprevent contact with the membrane or wick.

The casing is provided with means that allow its fastening on anyinternal surface of a vehicle, like the interior part of a door, thesunshade or a seat for example.

In FIG. 1 a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, wherein acasing (1) of the device houses a container (2) of the volatilesubstance equipped with a membrane (not represented) to allow itsevaporation. A film (3) covers said membrane during the storage andtransport of the product to avoid the undesired evaporation of thesubstance.

The electronic means are mounted on a printed circuit board (4), whichis powered by means of some batteries (5), for example button batteriesor conventional batteries. A switch (6) allows the user to connect ordisconnect the device.

In this preferred embodiment, the diffusion means consist of a fan (7)arranged to blow air onto said membrane and activate or begin theevaporation of the volatile substance, governed by the electronic meanswhich in turn are activated by the movement sensor (8). A light-emittingdiode or LED (15) indicates the operational state of the device.

Especially in FIG. 3 the openings (16) are observed arranged on one endof the casing (1) to allow the egress of the air current with evaporatedproduct driven by the fan (7).

The fan (7) is operated by a direct current motor (17), and in itsmounting inside the casing (1) it is situated between two (18, 18′)deflecting baffles which have an arched shaped and are arranged so thatthey direct the air flow driven by the fan toward the bottom part of thecontainer (2).

In FIG. 5 the electrical schematic of the device is shown, wherein theelectronic means are implemented by a microcontroller (10) whichreceives as inputs the signal from the movement sensor (8) and from abattery-low indicator (12). As outputs this microcontroller (10) has themotor (11) of the fan, a light-emitting indicator (13) of theoperational state of the device, and a battery-low indicator (14).

The batteries (5) feed the microcontroller and the battery-low detector(12).

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the power supply of the device has beenimplemented by means of an electric connector (19) to be plugged intothe electric outlet conventionally present in a saloon type car, so thedevice can be used in this type of vehicle. Instead of a fan there is aheater element (20), dependent upon the electronic means as describedfor the preceding embodiment.

The container (2) of the volatile substance can be any type of knowncontainer, like for example a container with permeable membrane.

Diverse possibilities of practical embodiments of the invention aredescribed in the dependent claims enclosed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An evaporator device for volatile substancescomprising: a casing configured to support a volatile substance; anelectrically powered diffuser provided in said casing for the diffusionof said volatile substance; at least one movement sensor arranged todetect the movement of said casing; a source of electric power to powersaid diffuser; and an electronic controller associated with saidmovement sensor, with said source of electric power and with saiddiffuser; wherein said electronic controller is configured to operatesaid diffuser responsive to the detection of movement of said casing bysaid sensor.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser isarranged to activate the evaporation of said substances, and selectedfrom a group consisting of i) a fan, ii) heating resistances, iii) meansfor concealment of said membrane or wick which are closed or opened overthe membrane or wick, iv) spray with solenoid valve, v) mist generator,and vi) any combination of the foregoing.
 3. A device according to claim1, wherein said movement sensor is selected from a group consisting ofan accelerometer, a vibration sensor, an omnidirectional vibrationsensor, a movement sensor, an inclination sensor, an angle sensor, and aposition sensor.
 4. A device according to claim 1, further comprising avolatile substance container provided with a wick or a permeablemembrane to evaporate said substance.
 5. A device according to claim 1,wherein said source of electric power comprises a battery or an electricconnector.
 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said electroniccontroller is programmed to activate said diffuser in preset periods oftime.
 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said movement sensorcauses the activation of said diffuser.
 8. A device according to claim1, wherein said movement sensor causes the enhancement of the effect ofsaid diffuser.
 9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said casingfurther comprises a fastener for fastening thereof on an interiorsurface of a vehicle.
 10. A device according to claim 1, wherein saidelectronic controller and said movement sensor reside in said casing.